Heretofore, roofing systems as for buildings, especially flat roof buildings, merely related to some sort of felt paper having an asphalt or rubber layer thereon. Such systems generally cracked with time, do not provide broad spectrum reflectivity, exhibit poor thermal insulation characteristics, generally are hydroscopic causing premature failures, often contain noxious and/or hazardous chemicals requiring special handling during installation and special provisions during disposal with no “sustainable end-of-life” solution. Another common type of roofing system utilized styrofoam as insulation and generally contained an asphalt or rubber layer thereon. This type of roofing structure also had the drawbacks of the above-noted system and furthermore was prone to leaks since a person walking on the roof tended to crush the styrofoam insulation causing the asphalt or rubber coating to crack and lead to leakage problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,795,180 relates to a net, preferably an extruded plastic net, to provide a raised surface and a drainage means for a sloped deck.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,886 relates to a roofing system wherein moisture entrapped within roofing systems of the type wherein a layer of normally low-permeance, cellular plastic insulation board (e.g. foamed polystyrene) is employed in conjunction with at least one layer of moisture-bearing construction material (e.g. lightweight insulating vermiculite concrete) is able to be vented from within the system by providing the board with a plurality of openings therethrough and further preventing the fluid construction material when placed upon the board from entering and filling the openings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,150 relates to providing a roofing panel comprising a layer of closed cell plastic foam and a layer of mortar. A reinforcing grid is disposed within the mortar layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,249 relates to ventilated roof construction for flat roof installations, that substantially decreases damage caused by roof leaks, that allow water to settle into the roofing substratum and insulation. A grid or perforated plate is supported in spaced arrangement above the underlying roofing support deck and immediately beneath the exterior roofing surface to define an air passageway or air duct therein. The grid allows evaporation of moisture from the insulation layer therethrough as air circulates thereunder. A plurality of conduits leading from the grid to the exterior roofing surface provide means for vacuuming accumulated water from the interior roofing structure to avoid damage thereto, or to pump water into the interior roofing structure to extinguish fires.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,510 relates to a modular tile for interlocking with other similar tiles to form a surface covering which provides a cushioned surface suitable for use in an outdoor playground environment which allows water to substantially flow thereunder for purposes of draining free from the tile. The tile includes a flat support grid having a top and bottom surface and including a repeating pattern of intersecting cross members which are integrally formed with interstitial openings therebetween. A plurality of support legs are attached at the bottom surface of the support gird to raise the grid above the supporting surface of concrete or other material. Means are provided around the perimeter of the support grid to allow attachment of additional grids in an interlocking manner. A cushion plate having top and bottom surfaces is adhered to the top of the support grid to form an integral tile which cooperatively provides impact protection for playing children, as well as increased comfort, yet which enables flow of water and protection of tile structure against mildew and other water damage.
U.S. Publication 2008/0083184 relates to a Styro Roofing System that is an all-in-one roofing and partitioning system that eliminates the use of plywood sheeting, insulation, tarpaper, flashing, shingles, guttering and partitioning like sheet rock. Styro Roofing System is prepared using plastic and foam. There is a grid and rigid plastic sheeting which is one mold, foam, mesh and a clay base cement finish. There are three types of panels, the gutter panel, the sheeting panel and the partition panel. The grid acts as conventional plywood sheeting and is drilled directly to the roof rafters.
U.S. Publication 2009/0249709 relates to a roof construction having a roof skin mounted on a base construction and including a bottom skin and a top skin mounted above and spaced apart from the bottom skin, the roof skin having a two-dimensionally curved surface, the bottom skin being supported on the base construction via a grid that is formed by plane plates oriented normal to the plane of the grid and crossing one another, top edges of the plates being curved to define the curvature of the roof skin, the surface of the roof skin being divided into segments at least some of which are spanned by an associated set of straight lines and the top skin is held at a constant spacing from the bottom skin by spacer profiles extending along the straight lines.
Japanese Publication 2000-192616 relates to flat roof structure containing a net laid over the upper surface of a waterproof layer on a flat roof, and a walking floor member laid over the upper surface of the net. The net is constituted of a positive grid or a diagonal grid consisting of a number of longitudinal wires and lateral wires formed of a synthetic resin or a metal, which net is directly laid over the waterproof layer.